Welcome to Conejo Joe's Marathon Training and Running Blog. This started in April 2009 when I decided to start training for the inaugural Santa Barbara Marathon. Since then I've run several marathons and a number of other local races, while highlighting and babbling about a variety of things running-related in here, including training specifics, race reports, dealing with injuries (and I've had plenty of them). disappointments, successes, local races and so on.

I've been running since 1993 and have logged well over 50,000 miles since then. With over 30 marathons and a personal best time of 2:35 many years ago at the Los Angeles Marathon, I have a few things to say about running. My hope is that these posts provide you something of benefit, be it useful advice for your own training, a grin or two, or perhaps some motivation.

I eat 3 or 4 of these on my runs of 18+ milesYes, the same waist belt that has served me so well for a number of years. The waist belt that I talk so glowingly about. The handy belt that carries 4 10 oz bottles and doesn't slosh around like other water carrying contraptions I've worn in the past.

As I sit here on Tuesday night with a dull, yet sometimes sharp, pain in my lower abdomen below the naval, I think, why didn't I look harder for my Camelbak water carrier on Friday night.

Yes, I had a whole week to recover from the pain experienced after the prior Saturday's 19.5 miler and find an alternate water carrying source. But the pain starting going away on Friday and I was too tired to look for my Camelbak Friday night, so I decide to run with my waist pack again on Friday. Mistake.

It took an hour of running to figure it out, but whatever is causing the pain came back, to the point, I decided, screw this damn water carrier. It has served me well. I got my money's worth out of it. Time for a change.

So mid-run, without stopping, while I removed the belt and one of the water bottles fell to the gutter. I was so pissed at that point that I just left it there. Then I kept running while removing the 2 other bottles (I lost the cap to the 4th bottle) and the 2 remaining gel packs I was carrying and tossed the waist pak into some bushes on the side of the road, figuring I'd drive back and pick it up later. (That didn't happen...yes, I left it there...SHAME on me!)

I'm left with 2 bottles half full of Gatorade and 2 gel packs. While maneuvering the gel packs around a mile later, one of the bottles fell to the gutter. Still pissed and with what felt like a stab wound in my gut, I left that bottle there too. But as I always do, I made sure to properly dispose of the gel pack wrappers after sucking them in.

Unimpeded by the water belt yet irritated by the pain and a bit tired, I slogged my way home. Was quite thankful that the skies were overcast the entire run and the temps were in the low 60s.

Yes indeed, this was not a pretty run. 21 miles in 2 hours, 45 minutes. And I had to have 2 potty stops along the way too. Not good. Frustrating. Not what I want to happen at the marathon in 3 weeks. But it happens.

So here I am tonight, 3 nights later, still with sporadic pain in my gut. Yet I am optimistic the pain will be gone by the weekend. And happy that I was able to get enough long runs done in 1 month period to feel confident that I can run the marathon distance just 2 1/2 weeks from today.

I ran 15.2 on 4/21, 18.7 on 4/24, 18 on 4/30, 19.5 on 5/7 and 21 on 5/14. Some of my more intense runner friends would run one more 20 miler this coming weekend. I'm no so sure that's what I need. Frankly the best thing I could do is run perhaps 10 to 12 miles at desired marathon time speed. I shall see if I'm up for that or not.

My long runs have been, for me, on the slow side. I'm not expecting a speedy 26.2 on June 5th given my training but it would be nice to get in the 3 hour range.